On a cold winter's afternoon like this, the canteen is the only place to be.

It's no wonder Rebecca Scholz, who runs the joint at Henty, is a woman in demand.

"Gluten and dairy-free, sweet potato and pear," she calls out in response to a query from the hatch before even having a chance to answer my first question.

"We cater for allergies and stuff like that, so we always have a fresh home-made soup on a Saturday," Scholz explains. "The kids love their popcorn chicken but the locals love their soup.

"You become very well-known, doing a role like this, and it's the usual story: 'what soup is it today, Bec?' Doing it now for so many years, the volunteers are very good and that makes it easier when we have new faces coming in.

"You get to know all the new players, both netball and football and I suppose you become a big face in the club.

"I start ordering on Monday if we're at home that week. I make the lolly bags throughout the week and Friday's my big day. You've got to chop up all the veggies and salad for Saturday morning when your volunteers arrive.

"You've got to clean the kitchen and stock up in there."

Another head pops through the window and Scholz breaks off to deal with a question about hot dogs.

The drinks fridge is being re-stocked as we speak and the man unpacking the bottles of iced coffee is Scholz's husband Nathan, the Swampies president.

"I started playing netball about 13, stayed around, married a local boy and the rest is history," she continued.

"It's now a generational thing. Nathan's father and mother were heavily involved in the club and our kids are here now. If you can't beat them, you might as well join them!

"But you've got to find a role that suits you. They needed a new canteen manager and I don't know much about football but I thought 'I can cook.'"

Cook she certainly can, as a first slurp of the soup attests. Sweet potato and pear might not have been a combination I was expecting to sample today but it's a delight. Within an hour, soup is off the menu - sold out.

Nathan, who served the club as secretary before taking on the presidency, knows it has to remain attractive for its younger population.

"There are lots more things out there for kids to do these days so that's a big issue, to retain the juniors at your club," he said. "Once they hit high school, they're looking at other things to do.

"To have them all back here, especially this year with Heath Ohlin as coach, he's put a big emphasis on giving our young boys a go in the seniors and making the club one tight unit.

"It's brought the club closer together, getting some of our juniors back that weren't playing here. There's a good buzz around at the moment.

"Heath's had a big impact since he came to the club. He came out back in 2011 and he's regarded as a local now with what he's done, both playing and coaching."

Ohlin, who's spent the week preparing his side to face the formidable Osborne, travels up from Wodonga but you wouldn't know it.

"In the years prior to me taking over, we had a lot of guys who came in from places like the Northern Territory and we lost that local connection with the playing group," Ohlin said.

"My biggest thing was to bring back a culture of local development and playing for the community, giving that confidence to the young guys that were coming through the program.

"If we saw there was a hole in the playing group, we looked internally to see who's got the ability to develop into that role rather than looking externally to fill that void.

"That sort of connection means a lot in a place like Henty and that's why we've seen, with those younger guys, that fast-tracked development because they're given that confidence to develop into roles and not lose their spot to a player that's come in from somewhere else.

"I certainly have seen a culture shift and it was important for our long-term stability.

"We're seeing in country footy things like the points system and the continued reduction of the salary cap. If you're not investing in your local junior talent and retaining those players, it's not sustainable to bring in a whole lot of players year on year."

As the crowd builds, so does the hubbub in front of the club rooms but coming to Henty this season isn't just a social outing. The new generation of Swampies is putting smiles on faces by winning games.

"That was a key message we talked to the group about this year, understanding that as footballers, these supporters come out to watch you guys perform and compete," Ohlin said.

"It's not just us playing footy and then leaving, we can actually bring a lot of joy to a lot of people by going out there and giving our all. It's been important for the boys to understand that side of country footy.

"In towns like this, there's not a lot else that goes on outside of people's work so it's an excuse for them to come off the land and catch up with people on the weekend."

This may be a way of life in Henty but sometimes you don't realise what you've got until it's gone.

"My dad's in the mines so I went to about 13 primary and high schools," netball president Millie Bourke said.

"I did Net Set Go here but then we left. I went up to Armidale and those sorts of places and netball's not like it is down here.

"We moved away for about 15 years, came back 10 years ago and I've been involved ever since.

"We're pretty lucky to have something like this, where the whole community gets around it. When we have new girls join the club and they don't know where to go, I'm like 'no-one will be doing anything else in town, they'll be going to the footy and netball so follow all the cars!'

"The footballers came over and opened our new courts with us before they played, so that gives you an idea. It's not just netball here and footy there, we're pretty involved on both sides."

Bourke has been here since 8am, setting up post pads, umpiring a junior game and strapping players across the grades. She'll play later and end up back on the bench - and is one of many at the club who wear several hats on a Saturday.

"I normally run for the under-14s, play in the under-17s, run water for the seconds and do the boundary for the seniors," 15-year-old Kobie Skeers casually reeled off.

"I offered until they said I was old enough to do it. I've always been doing water as a kid and now I'm old enough to do the boundary, so I've got my permanent job.

"It's interesting at times and quite nerve-wracking when you've got to make the right call. If the players don't think it's out and you say it's out, you get abused by the fans.

"I got the ball pegged at me but it all makes me laugh."

"You've always got to be involved, that's how I was brought up," club trainer Allie Murray added.

"My kids were playing for Henty so I put my hand up and said 'I can help.'

"It can be a really busy day. An accident happens on the field, you stop what you're doing and run on.

"We've had three ambulances there, one after the other, and I've had some pretty awful accidents happen. Brent Piltz, who used to coach Henty, broke his leg and that was horrific. Another guy came to us from Canberra and when I got to him, he had blood dripping from his eye and I remember thinking 'if I move him, we're in Henty and we've got no support other than hoping an ambulance will get there" but it all worked out.

"We're not medically trained but we have to make calls and you do the best you can."

At committee level, the pressures are different.

"I got approached five years ago to get involved and it was quite an eye-opener," Jamie Armstrong revealed. "I didn't realise how much work goes on to keep a football club running.

"One of my roles is organising the goal umpires and time-keepers and when you consider there's four games with two goal umpires and a time-keeper for every grade, it's a big commitment to find that many volunteers to actually fill those roles.

"There are lots of people willing to help out but they're tied up a lot of the time so you've got to find someone to fill the spot."

Henty's umpire co-ordinator Matt Kilo also plays reserve football and has been on the go all day but he insists the multi-tasking is worthwhile.

"It's not just good for kids, it's good for mental health, for blokes and women to get around and have a conversation, to catch up and see people," Kilo said.

"The winter months can be cold and lonely at home so it's good for everyone to come down to the footy every week. You can express yourself here.

"As an umpire, you sometimes get challenged for what you say and the decisions you make but it's all just people being passionate about what they believe in."

BEHIND THE SCENES - IN CASE YOU MISSED THEM:

Osborne's power is too much on the day but Henty have shown as much heart on the ground as off it.

"We had this growing up and I want to give it to the other kids out there," Bourke concluded.

"It gives you a sense of purpose to be here but it's also nice to be part of something. You feel like you deserve your beer at the end of the day.

"A couple of weeks ago we had Jimmy Ellis play his 200th senior game and that was one of the most special moments for me, seeing one of the boys my partner plays footy with get up and achieve something that you don't see very often. They're the big moments that make you do what you do."

Henty's welcome has been as warm as their soup. From the moment I walked in, I've been inundated with offers of help and people willing to share their stories.

Swamped, even.

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